101 Social Skills IEP Goals for all Ages, including Objectives (free PDF)

It’s no secret that many kids with disabilities struggle socially and struggle to build and maintain friendships. When Brian tells me stories of kids at school who sound like they have a disability of some kind, I always encourage (read: nag!) him to go the extra step.

I encourage him to be extra patient and help that classmate, reach out to that classmate, invite them to eat with you and invite them to play on the playground. Social Capital, or lack thereof, is one of the biggest issues in life that our kids will face.

Related: Social Skills Interventions for an IEP

Many disabled students struggle with social interaction. Whether it’s understanding social cues, forming friendships, or navigating peer conflict, social skills are critical for both academic and lifelong success. When social development lags, students often face exclusion, misunderstanding, and missed opportunities for connection. That’s why it’s essential to develop thoughtful, personalized social skills goals in the IEP.

This guide offers a robust, categorized list of dozens of IEP goals for social skills, sorted by key skill domains. These goals can be adapted for various age groups and student profiles, including those with autism, anxiety, ADHD, and other support needs.

Foundations of Social Skills Development

Before diving into individual goals, it’s important to remember:

1. Social-emotional learning (SEL) and social skills should be taught explicitly.
2. Skills build upon each other. A child cannot be expected to cooperate during recess if they haven’t developed turn-taking or self-regulation.
3. Consider sensory, interoceptive, and proprioceptive needs as part of the assessment process.
4. Social goals must be based on observable behaviors and linked to baseline data to ensure they are measurable and achievable.

IEP Goals for Social Skills

This a friendly reminder that no IEP student should be held to higher/stricter standards than their typical peers. None of us is level-headed and makes perfect decisions 100% of the time, so these kids shouldn’t be held to that either. Keep in mind you may have to alter some of these social skills IEP goals to make them measurable. But all can be quantified and measured.

If you do not see the IEP goal idea you need in the sections below, please visit our IEP Goal Bank, where there are literally thousands of other IEP goal ideas.

Social-Emotional IEP Goals

Self-Awareness and Emotional Regulation

1. ___ will identify and name their own emotions (happy, sad, frustrated, etc.) in 4 out of 5 observed opportunities.
2. ___ will describe situations in which they experience a given emotion in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
3. ___ will identify personal strengths and areas for improvement in 3 out of 4 discussions.
4. ___ will use a visual scale (1-10) to rate levels of anxiety or discomfort in social interactions and record the ratings over time.
5. ___ will demonstrate coping strategies (deep breathing, asking for a break) in 80% of situations that previously led to escalation.
6. ___ will identify various emotional states in others in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
7. ___ will state why a person might be feeling a particular emotion in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
8. ___ will identify simple emotional states in self 4 out of 5 opportunities.
9. ___ will state what would be an appropriate response to a particular emotional state 4 out of 5 opportunities.
10. ___ will allow themselves to be mad or frustrated without hurting 90% of observed opportunities.

Self-Management

1. ___ will use positive self-talk and calming strategies when presented with a frustrating task, 4 out of 5 times.
2. ___ will independently take a break using a visual cue or signal in 4 out of 5 situations where they feel overwhelmed.
3. ___ will transition between tasks or settings with no more than one adult prompt in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
4. ___ will control impulsive behavior with 80% accuracy as measured by teacher observation.
5. ___ will remain on task and work independently with 80% frequency.
6. ___ will ignore distractions while completing independent work in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
7. ___ will accept correction appropriately and adapt effectively to changes in routine.

Social Awareness

1. ___ will identify emotions in others by interpreting facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language in 4 out of 5 trials.
2. ___ will describe how another person might feel in a given situation with 80% accuracy.
3. ___ will identify how their actions affect others in 3 out of 5 scenarios.
4. ___ will name at least three ways to show empathy toward peers in 4 out of 5 discussions.
5. ___ will respond to teasing from peers appropriately in 4 out of 5 observed situations.
6. ___ will distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in peer interactions.

Relationship Skills

1. ___ will initiate and maintain a conversation with a peer for at least 3 conversational turns, 4 out of 5 times.
2. ___ will participate in cooperative play with one or more peers for at least 10 minutes during recess or structured play, 4 out of 5 days.
3. ___ will offer help or support to a peer in distress in at least 2 out of 3 opportunities.
4. ___ will ask relevant questions during group discussions or shared activities in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
5. ___ will engage in cooperative group work by sharing materials and contributing ideas in 4 out of 5 trials.
6. ___ will maintain appropriate personal space and boundaries in 4 out of 5 peer interactions.
7. ___ will appropriately express feelings when wronged in 4 out of 5 situations.

Responsible Decision-Making

1. ___ will generate two possible solutions to a social conflict when presented with a hypothetical scenario, 4 out of 5 times.
2. ___ will describe the potential consequences of different choices in a given social situation in 4 out of 5 trials.
3. ___ will follow through with a decision and reflect on its outcome in a structured conversation, 3 out of 4 sessions.
4. ___ will identify steps in making a decision and complete them independently in 3 out of 5 opportunities.
5. ___ will recognize signs of frustration and take a break when appropriate in 4 out of 5 situations.
6. ___ will identify and request help from an adult when appropriate in 4 out of 5 trials.

Peer Interaction Goals

Turn-Taking and Sharing

1. ___ will take turns during structured group games with no more than one adult prompt, 4 out of 5 opportunities.
2. ___ will share materials with peers during cooperative activities in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
3. ___ will wait for their turn to speak and refrain from interrupting others in 4 out of 5 situations.
4. ___ will follow the rules when playing an organized game in 4 out of 5 group settings.

Initiating Social Engagement

1. ___ will independently greet peers upon arrival to class or at lunch in 4 out of 5 observed situations.
2. ___ will initiate play or conversation with a peer using an appropriate greeting and invitation in 3 out of 5 recess periods.
3. ___ will invite a peer to join in a shared activity during recess with 80% success across 3 consecutive weeks.
4. ___ will respond to peer invitations with a socially appropriate verbal or non-verbal behavior in 4 out of 5 interactions.

Conflict Resolution

1. ___ will express disagreement or frustration using words instead of physical behavior in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
2. ___ will walk away and seek adult assistance in response to teasing or conflict in 4 out of 5 incidents.
3. ___ will use “I” statements (“I feel ___ when ___”) to express emotions in conflict resolution 3 out of 4 trials.
4. ___ will identify aggressive, assertive, and passive behaviors in peer scenarios with 80% accuracy.
5. ___ will accept responsibility for their role in peer conflict in 4 out of 5 reflective activities.

Group Participation

1. ___ will contribute an idea during group work or class discussions in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
2. ___ will remain with a group during collaborative learning tasks for 10 minutes with no more than one prompt.
3. ___ will participate in group discussions by listening, raising a hand, and waiting to be recognized in 4 out of 5 sessions.
4. ___ will encourage peers to contribute to group discussions or collaborative tasks in 3 out of 5 opportunities.

Social Communication IEP Goals

Initiation and Engagement

1. ___ will initiate conversations with peers or adults using a verbal or gestural greeting in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
2. ___ will maintain a topic of conversation for at least 3 exchanges in 4 out of 5 observed interactions.
3. ___ will initiate communicative interactions by asking relevant questions in 4 out of 5 situations.
4. ___ will ask clarifying questions when they do not understand directions in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

Topic Maintenance

1. ___ will ask a follow-up question based on a peer’s statement in 4 out of 5 interactions.
2. ___ will remain on topic during a structured or spontaneous conversation for at least 2 minutes in 3 out of 5 trials.
3. ___ will use appropriate phrases (e.g., please, thank you) during conversations in 4 out of 5 social situations.
4. ___ will paraphrase peer responses during conversations in 3 out of 4 interactions.

Nonverbal Communication

1. ___ will use appropriate body orientation, eye contact, and tone of voice in 4 out of 5 observed conversations.
2. ___ will correctly interpret and respond to peer gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
3. ___ will adjust voice volume based on the environment (library vs playground) in 4 out of 5 trials.
4. ___ will match facial expressions to the context of the conversation in 4 out of 5 social situations.
5. ___ will recognize and respect personal space in group settings in 4 out of 5 observations.

High School and Teen-Specific IEP Goals

Independent Social Navigation

1. ___ will self-advocate by requesting accommodations or supports in class in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
2. ___ will identify and attend at least one extracurricular or social activity per week and interact with peers appropriately in 3 out of 4 weeks.
3. ___ will initiate and sustain a two-minute conversation with a peer by asking questions and offering comments in 4 out of 5 observed opportunities.
4. ___ will appropriately introduce themselves in unfamiliar social settings in 3 out of 5 opportunities.

Emotional Regulation in Complex Settings

1. ___ will utilize relaxation or grounding techniques in high-stress situations (e.g., presentations, group work) with one prompt in 4 out of 5 trials.
2. ___ will recognize and verbalize when they need a break or space to calm down in 4 out of 5 occurrences.
3. ___ will return to the task following a break without additional prompting in 3 out of 4 incidents.

Problem Solving and Goal Setting

1. ___ will reflect on a challenging social interaction and identify one alternative action they could take in future scenarios, 3 out of 4 weekly check-ins.
2. ___ will set and work toward a weekly personal social goal (e.g., greet 3 peers, join a club meeting) and evaluate progress each Friday.
3. ___ will gather information needed to make a decision and identify resources to support their plan in 3 out of 5 opportunities.

Neurodiversity-Affirming Goals

1. ___ will identify and celebrate their unique strengths and interests by sharing with peers or staff in 3 out of 4 class projects.
2. ___ will advocate for preferred communication methods and supports in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
3. ___ will develop inclusive peer relationships by leading or contributing to awareness activities twice per semester.
4. ___ will select and use personalized sensory tools in overwhelming settings with 80% independence.
5. ___ will participate in structured self-advocacy training and apply those strategies in 4 out of 5 interactions with staff.

Life and Community Skills Goals

1. ___ will practice expected behaviors in public settings (library, store, community center) 4 out of 5 times during CBI (Community-Based Instruction).
2. ___ will engage appropriately with unfamiliar peers or adults during field trips, using greetings and eye contact in 3 out of 5 interactions.
3. ___ will use appropriate behavior on school transportation (e.g., stay seated, use quiet voice) in 4 out of 5 rides.
4. ___ will demonstrate appropriate peer behavior during transitions and hallway movement in 4 out of 5 school days.

Final Tips for Writing Social Skills IEP Goals

• Align goals with present levels of performance.
• Use measurable language: frequency, duration, percent of accuracy.
• Include environments: classroom, lunch, recess, community.
• Collaborate with the entire IEP team—including the student when appropriate.

Social skills are more than a checklist—they’re foundational for independence, self-worth, and life satisfaction. With targeted, thoughtful goals, we can help students not just survive, but thrive in their social worlds.

Printable List of IEP Goals for Social Skills